What is Osseointegration?

Dental implants are a strong, secure tooth replacement option that can be used to restore your smile’s beauty, function and health. Our Los Angeles dental implants expert often recommends dental implants for those who have lost one or more missing teeth.

The implant is a small titanium screw that is securely implanted in the jawbone, and an abutment and artificial tooth are later attached to create a tooth that is extremely similar to your own natural teeth. Osseointegration is the process through which dental implants fuse to your jawbone. Once the titanium dental implant is inserted into the jawbone, bone cells begin to grow around it and fuse with it. Swedish researcher Per-Ingvar Branemark first discovered the process of osseointegration in the 1960s.

Human tissue tends to reject foreign objects. Researchers at Cambridge University discovered that they could implant titanium chambers into rabbits’ ears in the 1952, and Branemark expanded on their research. He successfully inserted the chambers into a rabbit’s leg bone. He then determined that the titanium could be implanted in human bone tissue, and the bone tissue would grow around it rather than reject it.

Since then, dental implants have become the safest, healthiest tooth replacement options available today. They can be used to replace one missing tooth or multiple missing teeth. With proper dental care, they can provide you with a lifetime of healthy smiles.

If you are missing teeth, our dentist can help. Contact our office today to learn more or to schedule your initial consultation.